Chapter 332

It would be better if we were on a small boat.

Ying Chanxi looked at the distant scenery, then at their current attire, and couldn't help saying, "A single skiff drifting with the wind, the two of us on board, like we're filming some wuxia drama."

"Then I'm the wandering hero of the martial world." Li Luo patted the sword at his waist and smiled, "What about you?"

"Me?" Ying Chanxi furrowed her beautiful brows, thinking deeply, "You're the novelist—you think of one for me."

"Then a classic archetype: a noble daughter who fled her wealthy family, inexperienced, innocent and pure-hearted," Li Luo stroked his chin and said, "But because she was overprotected since childhood, she sees the world in black and white, occasionally stubborn and spoiled, nearly got killed crossing the river, and was saved by the hero."

"... Why is my character background so long? Yours is just a few sentences?" Ying Chanxi complained, "And where am I stubborn or spoiled?"

"It's acting—why overthink it? It's not really about you," Li Luo said, "As for my character, it's definitely: his family was murdered, he wandered the streets, was rescued by his master, and trained in martial arts."

"After achieving some mastery, he descended from the mountain, traveled the martial world, investigating the massacre of his family, vowing to avenge his kin."

"Only on his journey did he meet you, and casually saved you."

Hearing this, Ying Chanxi couldn't help frowning and said, "Don't tell me the ending is that the heroine's family secretly caused the hero's family's downfall?"

"Huh?" Li Luo raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "Didn't expect you've got some screenwriting talent? According to certain TV drama tropes, yeah, probably something like that."

"Ugh... that feels so annoying." Ying Chanxi rubbed her arms and quickly added, "Any other plot?"

"Of course there are others," Li Luo thought for a moment, "Following our online novel tradition, the heroine falls in love at first sight after being saved, and insists on following him to uphold justice."

"But her family keeps sending people to track her down; the hero wants to send her home, but can't shake her persistent clinging."

"After a series of events, she's eventually taken back to her family, and the hero is invited as a guest."

"Just then, her family faces some crisis; the hero doesn't want to get involved, but since it concerns her, he steps in to help."

"After another series of events, the hero gains the family's trust and support, making his path to revenge somewhat easier."

"This version sounds pretty good," Ying Chanxi said, her cheeks slightly flushed, nodding softly as she subtly leaned closer to Li Luo, her arm brushing against his, "So, what's the final outcome for the two leads?"

"Naturally, the hero avenges his family, fulfills his vow, and prepares to return to his sect, living out his remaining years in peace."

"And the heroine?"

"Of course she goes back with him," Li Luo smiled, "Years later, another young man descends from the mountain, wandering the martial world—another brand-new story awaits us."

"So there's a Season Two?" Ying Chanxi burst out laughing, then suddenly realized, "The young man you mentioned... isn't it..."

"It's definitely the child of the previous season's leads," Li Luo nodded as if it were obvious.

Child... child... As soon as he said it, Ying Chanxi's face turned even redder, and she instinctively touched her small belly.

"What are you thinking about?" Li Luo glanced at her and teased.

"N-nothing..." Ying Chanxi whispered, then changed the subject, "Why don't you write a novel like this? Then I'll get Dad to buy the rights and turn it into a TV drama."

"It's not as simple as you think," Li Luo chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Your dad's just a company executive—investing in TV dramas requires a lot of discussion, not just his word."

"Your plot's way more interesting than those TV dramas," Ying Chanxi complained, "Lately, Dad's company released that show 'Your Life After Mine'—it's so boring, I couldn't even finish three or four episodes. Now I'm seriously doubting Dad's taste."

"Hmm... your dad's taste probably isn't bad," Li Luo said with a strange expression, "But TV dramas aren't as straightforward as you imagine. Sometimes your dad isn't chasing a good show—he's chasing a profitable one that brings revenue to the company. Those two aren't always the same."

The two chatted on the second-deck deck as the sightseeing boat slowly glided across the river; as night deepened, the skyscrapers along both banks of the Huangpu River lit up with dazzling lights.

Meanwhile, on the eastern riverbank, some event was underway—bursts of fireworks shot into the sky, blooming one after another into brilliant flowers against the night.

Ying Chanxi saw this and gasped, covering her mouth in awe, then pulled Li Luo to watch: "Look, so beautiful!"

"Mm, I see," Li Luo glanced at the fireworks, then thought for a moment and called over a server, asking her to take a few photos, "Xixi, look at the camera."

"Huh? Oh, okay," Ying Chanxi snapped back to attention, turned to face the fireworks, leaned against the railing beside Li Luo, and raised her cute scissors fingers toward the server's camera.

Soon, several photos were taken. Ying Chanxi suddenly thought of something, turned around again, pulled Li Luo to stand behind her, her cheeks faintly flushed, and said, "Y-you hold me from behind, okay? It'll look prettier this way."

"Whatever you say," Li Luo stood behind Ying Chanxi, gently wrapping his arms around her slender waist, resting his chin on her head as they admired the fireworks display across the river.

The server holding the camera, witnessing this scene, her eyes sparkled, and she used every skill she had to take countless photos of this affectionate, perfectly matched couple.

When the fireworks ended, Li Luo thanked the server and took back the camera; the two began reviewing the photos.

Seeing the photo where Li Luo was hugging her, her finger pointing skyward, and two fireworks blooming in the night sky above, Ying Chanxi couldn't help saying, "So beautiful—I love this photo."

"If you like it, that's all that matters."

"What about you, Li Luo? Which one's your favorite?"

"I like them all."

"Eh? Don't brush me off."

"After all, every photo is you—if I have to pick one, it's genuinely hard."

"You always say such weird things..." Ying Chanxi's cheeks burned red; she lowered her head and lightly punched him, her tone sweetly pouting, though inside she was ecstatic, her head spinning—maybe she was a little seasick.

When the time reached around seven in the evening.

The sightseeing boat docked at the shore.

The four of them reunited at the exit, then took a taxi back to a restaurant near the Quanjie Hotel.

At this point, Ying Zhicheng was already waiting; seeing them enter, he warmly greeted them to sit down and told the server, "Everyone's here—serve the dishes."

Li Guohong sat beside Ying Zhicheng, adjusting his dark green round-collar robe, and smiled at him, "How do I look?"

"Hmph, you're missing a couple of mustaches," Ying Zhicheng laughed, "But your wife looks at least a few years younger."

"What about me? What about me?" Ying Chanxi twirled in front of Ying Zhicheng, holding her skirt, then couldn't help laughing and quickly sat back down.

"Xixi looks very beautiful today," Ying Zhicheng said, his gaze falling on Li Luo in his martial attire.

Truth be told, Li Luo's natural aura paired with this outfit was indeed quite handsome, but Ying Zhicheng opened his mouth, then closed it without complimenting him.

As they all took their seats, the servers began bringing out the dishes.

While eating, Li Guohong and the others chatted about the sights they'd visited that day.

Ying Zhicheng nodded occasionally; seeing Ying Chanxi so happy, he relaxed, but still said, "I still owe you an apology, Xixi—Dad's been busy with work, especially with some recent issues that are quite troubling."

"What happened?" Li Guohong frowned.

"It's not directly related to our company, but it affects the recently aired TV drama," Ying Zhicheng sighed, "That one, 'Your Life After Mine'—the male lead is a member of a boy band, with a huge fanbase."

"This drama was built around him; even if the plot quality isn't great, at least there's some fan appeal."

"Turns out, over these past two days, he was exposed for having a girlfriend behind the scenes—and secretly dating his female fans... He's now in emergency PR mode."

Damn.

Li Luo heard the news and was slightly surprised, then shook his head with a wry smile, thinking this drama was officially dead.

Adding the earlier Huayue Film and Television flop, *Yaochi Immortal Affair*, over the past year and change, Ying Zhicheng's side seemed to have no notable achievements to speak of.

Ying Chanxi rarely involved herself in her father's work topics, but today she unusually spoke softly: "So Dad, why don't you make some normal TV dramas? Why must you keep producing things that rely solely on the lead actor's fanbase?"

"These days, everyone's struggling," Ying Zhicheng sighed. "After all, over 80% of TV drama viewers are women; you often have to consider the female market."

"Of course, it's certainly possible to make high-quality dramas—but the requirements are far greater than for fan-service dramas."

"First, the drama needs a solid script—that's the foundation."

"But even with that foundation, you've only taken one small step."

"After that, you must ensure all investors are relatively reasonable—won't randomly shove people into the crew, won't abuse power to force extra scenes for a certain actor or alter the plot on a whim."

"On the other hand, the actors' performances must be credible, and the director must be capable enough to handle it all."

"And even after achieving all that, you still have to rely on luck—because not every good drama can stand out in this era of traffic."

"Even if the quality is good and the reputation is strong, it still can't compete against fan-service dramas whose leads' fans manipulate data and rank them."

"The high-quality dramas that manage to break through from this chaos are naturally of extremely high quality—but…"

Everyone naturally understood Ying Zhicheng's implied meaning.

Li Luo understood this completely.

The entertainment market works this way—no matter the field, there are always detours and shortcuts tempting people to take them.

If you don't take them, others will—and they'll naturally occupy the ecological niche that should have been yours.

Eventually, shortcuts become the norm, detours become the right path, while the originally most natural route turns into a thorny road everyone in the industry sneers at.

This applies equally to TV dramas, films, animation, games, and Online Novels.

"Then Dad, you could consider Li Luo's novel," Ying Chanxi couldn't help suggesting. "I think he writes really well—if made into a TV drama, it'd definitely be great."

"Cough… Xixi," Ying Zhicheng said, immediately looking exasperated. "First off, Li Luo's novel belongs to… uh… urban harem genre."

Hearing this, Li Luo couldn't help blushing, quickly lowering his head to eat and hide his embarrassment.

Ying Zhicheng continued: "His book is indeed well-written. I've only skimmed it, mostly reading summaries others compiled, but I've got a general sense."

"If you really want to adapt it into a TV drama, first thing—you must cut and revise the female leads."

"Reduce three female leads to just one, or it won't even pass censorship."

"Once you change the number of female leads, it inevitably affects the entire plot—so adapting the storyline becomes another high barrier."

"Not to mention his book contains many copied elements from real-world works—these involve others' copyrights; Li Luo can only use his own original songs."

"So apart from music content, everything else—like the protagonist filming TV dramas or movies—must all be cut or revised."

Here, Ying Zhicheng paused, smiled, then added: "This is a massive undertaking—not something you can just tweak. And even after revision, whether the plot retains enough appeal is uncertain—it might as well be rewriting the entire book."

After hearing Ying Zhicheng's words, Li Luo nodded in strong agreement.

He himself knew well how difficult the adaptation would be, so he'd never paid much attention to film and TV rights—only thinking that if an opportunity arose in the future, he might give it a try.

But after hearing this, Ying Chanxi whispered softly: "I think it's fine. So if you change three female leads to one, Dad, how would you do it?"

"Definitely keep the one who sings," Ying Zhicheng said. "After all, in Li Luo's book, only those few original songs have copyright. The other two female leads aren't impossible to keep—but at most, they'd be supporting characters, nothing more."

Hearing this, Ying Chanxi puffed out her cheeks, let out a quiet, sulky huff, and suddenly fell silent.

Ying Zhicheng didn't notice his daughter's mood, still enthusiastically expounding his thoughts on adapting Li Luo's novel.

Li Luo cleared his throat twice, interrupting Ying Zhicheng, then shifted topic: "Actually, I've got another novel idea."

"Oh?" Ying Zhicheng paused. "Are you finishing this one?"

"Not yet," Li Luo shook his head. "But Wenxue Group is collaborating with the authorities on a realist-themed writing contest—it seems they're offering strong support."

"Originally, I didn't have big plans—just thought it was interesting, and had a few ideas floating around in my head worth writing."

"But if Uncle Ying needs a good script… hmm… I could give it a try? I could even tie it into the contest—maybe get some official support?"

After hearing Li Luo's words, Ying Zhicheng fell silent.

To be honest.

A year ago, if Li Luo had said something like this, Ying Zhicheng would've just laughed it off, treating it as a child's joke.

But now, though Li Luo was still a child, his creative talent was undeniably evident.

For him to say this, Ying Zhicheng had to seriously consider and weigh it.

He even felt a faint curiosity and anticipation inside.

What if?

After all, this kid usually seemed pretty idle—what harm would it do to let him try?

Thinking this over, Ying Zhicheng nodded and said to Li Luo: "Tell me your idea first?"

…

Because dinner was late, and Li Luo and Ying Zhicheng continued talking at length about novels and TV dramas afterward,

by the time dinner ended, it was nearly ten at night.

Ying Zhicheng had other matters to attend to that evening, so he bid farewell and left at the restaurant entrance.

Li Luo also said goodbye to Ying Chanxi and the other two, urging them to head home early and rest.

But Ying Chanxi leaned close to him and whispered: "Can I come over to your place for a bit?"

"I've already arranged late-night snacks with my editor and author friends," Li Luo gently ruffled her hair. "Not tonight. Go home and rest, okay?"

"Alright…" Ying Chanxi pursed her lips, then nodded obediently.

Watching Ying Chanxi walk over to Lin Xiuhong, Li Luo turned to his parents and added: "Tomorrow morning, Lawyer Tian will arrive and meet Wenxue Group's copyright department. We should find time to sign the Big God contract."

"Fine," Li Guohong nodded. "You handle it—we'll follow your lead."

After parting at the restaurant entrance, Li Luo waved to the three of them and walked toward the Jinjiang Hotel.

As soon as he entered the hotel lobby and was about to head for the elevator, his peripheral vision caught a familiar back standing in front of the Writer's Salon poster.

Maybe they were in tune with each other.

The moment Li Luo looked at that back, the person turned around at the same time and locked eyes with him.

"Li Luo~" Yan Zhusheng dashed up to him, flung herself into his arms, and knocked him off balance; he caught her with both hands just in time.

"Why run so fast… I wasn't going to run away," Li Luo said grumpily after steadying himself, "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"To give you a surprise," Yan Zhusheng said, nestled in his arms.

"Why does a surprise need a hug?"

"It's a greeting between close friends after a long separation," Yan Zhusheng said seriously. "Abroad, they even kiss each other on the cheek."

"This is domestic."

"So I only hugged you."

"Hmm… reasonable enough, but shouldn't you let go now?"

"Oh." Yan Zhusheng obediently pulled away, "Where's your room, Li Luo?"

"Eighth floor. What about you?" Li Luo walked toward the elevator, asking as he went.

Yan Zhusheng followed closely beside him, skipping lightly with a joyful step, her high ponytail swinging behind her: "Twentieth floor. I'm staying in the suite with Mom."

"When did you arrive?"

"We got here by evening flight."

"Then what? Did you rest in the room or go out?"

"I was waiting for you," Yan Zhusheng said, blinking innocently.

Hearing this, Li Luo pressed the elevator button—and his heart jolted, his fingers trembling slightly.

"What time did you start waiting here?"

"Around six, I think," Yan Zhusheng recalled, unsure, "Anyway, before sunset."

"You could've at least sent me a message," Li Luo said helplessly. "Just stood here waiting?"

"I did—I gave you a surprise."

"You're clueless."

Taking the elevator to the eighth floor, Li Luo brought her back to his room.

As soon as she entered Li Luo's room, Yan Zhusheng hurried toward the bathroom.

Seeing her rush in so urgently, Li Luo suddenly guessed something and called through the door: "Didn't you use the bathroom while waiting for me?"

"I was afraid I'd miss you if I went," Yan Zhusheng's voice came from inside, followed by a long exhale. "So… I just held it in… whew…"

Li Luo sighed and rubbed his forehead, then sat at the desk, turned on his computer, and pulled out his phone to send a few messages to Xu Youyu next door.

Soon after, Yan Zhusheng came out and plopped onto the bed, watching Li Luo type.

"I still have to go out—have late-night snacks with my editor and writer friends. You should head back to your room, okay? After all, you're sharing a suite with Aunt Yuan; it's not good to stay out all night."

"Oh." Yan Zhusheng nodded obediently.

But when it reached eleven at night, Li Luo stood up to leave and glanced at Yan Zhusheng.

Yan Zhusheng clutched her stomach and dashed into the bathroom, locking the door behind her: "My stomach hurts, Li Luo. Go ahead without me—I'll head back after I use the bathroom."

Li Luo: "... I hope you're really having stomach pain."

"I am," Yan Zhusheng said. "Don't believe me? Come in and feel?"

"I'm leaving," Li Luo said, exasperated. "Go back early, don't make Aunt Yuan worry."

"It's fine—Mom said she's going out drinking with friends and won't be back until late."

Seeing she had no intention of coming out, Li Luo chuckled helplessly: "Fine, stay if you want. I'm going out."

Saying that, he stepped out of the room and took the elevator downstairs.